G20 Summit in New Delhi: From agenda, food, venue and schedule, all you need to know

This article talks of how G20 Summit host is selected, when and where the first G20 Summit was held and agenda, venue, food, schedule and who all are attending G20

India is hosting the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. The venue is the recently inaugurated, refurbished and overhauled good old Pragati Maidan now known as the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre (IECC).

While US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, French President Emmanuel Macron are among the key leaders who are attending the two-day Summit.

The big absentees this time are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Russia will be represented by its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China by its Premier Li Qiang.

The G20, or the Group of Twenty, is an intergovernmental organisation comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). Established in 1999 in response to global economic crises, the G20 is the platform where major global issues are discussed and addressed.

The G20 convenes annually and is attended heads of government or state, finance ministers, foreign ministers, and other high-ranking officials. 

As India wraps up its year-long presidency, the summit will culminate with the adoption of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, solidifying the commitment of participating leaders to the priorities established during various ministerial and working group sessions.

WHEN AND WHERE WAS THE FIRST G20 SUMMIT HELD?

The first G20 Leaders’ Summit, titled the ‘Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy,’ was held in Washington DC in November 2008 amid the global financial meltdown.

It featured the leaders of the 20 member nations, along with key figures from the IMF, the World Bank, the United Nations, Spain, and the Netherlands. Since then, annual summits have become integral to the global agenda.

WHAT IS THE THEME OF G20 SUMMIT IN NEW DELHI?

The theme is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ — One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ This theme draws its inspiration from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad, highlighting the intrinsic value of all life forms, from humans and animals to plants and microorganisms. It underscores their interconnectedness on planet Earth and in the broader cosmos.

WHAT IS THE AGENDA OF THE G20 SUMMIT 2023?

For the G20 2023 Summit, the discussions would revolve around:

• Increasing loans to developing nations from multilateral institutions.
• Reforming international debt structures.
• Regulating cryptocurrencies.
• Addressing the impact of geopolitical uncertainties on food and energy security.

WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE ALONG WITH SURROUNDING EVENTS?

• G20 Summit 2023, September 9 and 10, 2023, New Delhi
• 4th Sustainable Finance Working Group Meeting, September 13 and 14, 2023, Varanasi
• 4th Meeting for the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion, September 14, 15, and 16, 2023, Mumbai
• 4th Framework Working Group Meeting, September 18 and 19, 2023, Raipur

The Finance Deputies Meeting and the Joint Sherpas and Finance Deputies Meetings were held on September 5 and 6 and September 6 respectively in New Delhi.

LEADERS WHO ARE ATTENDING THE G20 SUMMIT 2023:

Country	Leader	Leader Designation
India	Narendra Modi (Host)	Prime Minister
Argentina	Alberto Fernández, President	President
Australia	Anthony Albanese, PM	Prime Minister
Brazil	Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President	President
Canada	Justin Trudeau, PM	Prime Minister
China	Li Qiang, Premier	Premier
France	Emmanuel Macron, President	President
Germany	Olaf Scholz, Chancellor	Chancellor
Indonesia	Joko Widodo, President	President
Italy	Giorgia Meloni, PM	Prime Minister
Japan	Fumio Kishida, PM	Prime Minister
Mexico	Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President	President
Russia	Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister	Foreign Minister
Saudi Arabia	Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King	King
South Africa	Cyril Ramaphosa, President	President
South Korea	Yoon Suk-yeol, President	President
Turkey	Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President	President
United Kingdom	Rishi Sunak, PM	Prime Minister
United States	Joe Biden, President	President
European Union	Ursula von der Leyen, President of European Commission	President, EC
European Union	Charles Michel, President of EU	President,  Council

India has extended invitations to the leaders of 11 nations to participate as guests in the G20 Summit 2023. Here is the list:

Country	Leader
Bangladesh	Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister
Comoros	Azali Assoumani, President
Egypt	Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President
Mauritius	Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister
Netherlands	Mark Rutte, Prime Minister
Nigeria	Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President
Oman	Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan
Rwanda	Paul Kagame, President
Singapore	Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister
Spain	Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister
United Arab Emirates	Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President

HOW IS THE HOST COUNTRY SELECTED?

The G20 presidency rotates among five groups of member countries. Each country within a group becomes eligible for the presidency during its group’s turn, with negotiations among eligible countries determining the group’s presidency. The presiding nation plays a central role in setting the G20 agenda, hosting meetings and the G20 Leaders’ Summit, and providing logistical support.

In the absence of a permanent secretariat, the host country mobilises human and material resources to facilitate the forum’s functioning throughout the year.

EVENTS ON SEPTEMBER 9:

• Ceremonial reception at Bharat Mandapam
• Sessions on ‘One Earth’ and ‘One Family.’
• Gala dinner for informal diplomacy.

EVENTS ON SEPTEMBER 10:

• Visit to Rajghat and the tree plantation.
• Symbolic handover of G20 presidency to Brazil.
• Special attractions:
• G20 Job Fair (‘Crafts Bazaar’) for shopping.
• ‘India – Mother of Democracy’ exhibition.
• International Convention Centre for leaders and media.

DELHI PREPARATIONS FOR G20 SUMMIT:

• Three-day public holiday from September 8 to 10. All educational institutes and offices shut
• Luxury hotels like ITC Maurya, Taj Palace, The Oberoi are booked for leaders
• Tight security arrangements, drone surveillance
• Several key roads leading to the venue, hotels shut for public, several trains cancelled, metro rail gates to be shut

FOOD MENU FOR G20 SUMMIT:

• All-vegetarian meal part of the menu
• Delegates will dine in silverware and gold crockery
• From millet pulao and idli to Chandni Chowk ka chaat
• Rajasthan’s Dal Bati Churma, Bengali Rasgulla, South Indian special Masala Dosa, and Bihar’s Litti Chokha are also likely to be part of the elaborate spread

Also Read: Joe Biden to arrive in Delhi tomorrow, will hold bilateral with PM Modi

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